SANAA, Nov 15: A Yemeni court on Saturday sentenced to death the head of a group of Iranian sailors held with a cargo of about 1.5 tons of hashish.

The court also issued jail sentences of 25 years each against 11 other Iranians and a crew member believed to be Pakistani, whose vessel had been seized by US-led naval forces and handed over to Yemeni authorities.

Both lawyers said they would appeal the sentences.—Reuters